Magpie kept her eyes on the tiny girl next to her. Lily really was an enigma, a mixture of innocence and ignorance blended with raw talent and abilities that made no sense. She had watched as Lily circumvented the first stage of the stealth course, seen the impossible leap to the hidden handholds. She was pretty sure that would have been beyond her. Not the leap itself, but the perception needed to even find the handholds in the first place.

Her trainer had allowed her access to the hidden observation rooms and paths that riddled the rogue’s training area, and that had allowed her to follow Lily, to watch as she moved with utter confidence and grace through the darkness. It was as if she had undergone training similar to Magpie’s.

Maybe that was it? Could it be that someone was working with indigenes in the Americas, training them and giving them access to top-of-the-line systems? She was quite sure that Lily was not from a populated area, and her stature and general appearance were clearly those of one exposed to deprivation and environmental toxins. Maybe that was why Uncle was so interested; someone was stealing part of his game plan, whatever that was.

Except he had told her that Lily had requested his assistance. Which was another thing that made no sense. The girl she knew didn’t even have the faintest clue about the world Magpie lived in. Unless she was playing the game on a whole other level. It all made Magpie’s head hurt.

“Maybe I can help,” she told her. “What are your goals on the Inside?”

“I’m just trying to get stronger. I need to learn how to fight and how to infiltrate an enemy compound. And I need to learn more about the clans.” She looked up at Magpie, and for a second her eyes glistened. “I’m all alone and I have to do something impossible.”

Welcome to my life, thought Magpie.

“Well, you have the best trainer in the world for the fighting part. Not so sure that Rosemallow World Crusher is the stealthy infiltration type.”

“Is that really her title?”

“That’s the only one I’ve heard.”

“I wonder what you need to do to get that one? Anyway, she’s really, really not. But she said she could ask some friends to help me out, and in the meantime, I’ve got classes where I can learn some of what I need.”

Suddenly everything made more sense. Lily’s trainer had asked for help on her behalf, and the request had somehow filtered up to Uncle on the Outside. She wondered who Rosemallow’s friends were, and if she knew them. It wasn’t very likely, as Uncle kept his organization quite compartmentalized. She had met only a handful of his operatives during her training, usually when they were brought in to teach her some specialized bit of knowledge or combat technique. Only Raven and Starling had lived with her in the compound for any length of time. Even Uncle had never appeared in the flesh, always using robot avatars, or just speakers and cameras to oversee her training.

“I bet I can help you get through your classes, at least the stealth one. And I’m a pretty decent sparring partner, if your trainer will allow it.”

“If you beat me to a bloody pulp repeatedly, I’m sure she’ll be thrilled.”

Magpie chuckled and looked out over the arena fields spread below them. “Want to go watch the advanced tactics course at the arenas?” she asked.

“I’d love that,” Lily replied “Race you there!”

She disappeared in a cloud of dust, her tiny legs a blur. Magpie stared after her for a moment. That’s just… Then she was off, running down the hill on Lily’s heels.

***

Even for Lilijoy’s keen ears it wasn’t easy to hear what was being said on the field below where the groups huddled around the instructor. Mostly she caught snippets filled with terms like ‘zones of control’ and ‘pick and pin’ and ‘DOT rotations’, whatever those were. At times the teams would spread out across the field, and instructors would run around yelling at them to spread out or come together or otherwise change their positions for reasons Lilijoy couldn’t understand. There was one exciting drill where spell casters were firing at the backs of the larger team members, who would (usually) crouch down at just the right moment for balls of fire, ice spikes and various other projectiles to sail over their heads.

She turned to Magpie. “I thought there would be more fighting.”

“You got me. Maybe this will make more sense when we take some of the basic classes. Take a look at them...” She looked over at a group of students who were sitting a few rows higher and about twenty feet away. They didn’t appear to be watching the class at all, but were talking and laughing with each other. “Clannies.” She said the word with some disgust.

“I thought you were from a clan?” said Lilijoy.

“Oh. Not like that.” Magpie’s eyes narrowed and then a little smile came to her face. “You said you wanted to know more about the clans? Well here’s your chance.”

She got up and began to walk over to the boisterous gathering. Lilijoy stayed where she was until Magpie looked over her shoulder and gestured for her to follow.

“Hey guys,” Magpie said, addressing the group. “My little friend here doesn’t know much about the Outside. I was trying to explain to her why some Outsiders are so much smarter and better looking than others, but she doesn’t believe me. Can you tell her about your ‘families’?” She made air quotes with her hands.

The students exchanged glances. An older girl, maybe fifteen or sixteen, rose to the bait.

“I wouldn’t put it like that. We have been very fortunate to be born with high status and many resources. Not every family is so favored. We consider it our duty to help those who are less fortunate, both Outside and Inside. My family provides employment for almost a million people, and it is our responsibility to take good care of them.”

A younger boy jumped in. “If it wasn’t for us, they would be starving and living in filth. Hindutva-” The girl sitting next to him hissed. “-I mean, our family is a great shield, sheltering them from the arrows of inequity.”

There were nods all around, and it seemed to Lilijoy as if he was reciting a line they had all learned.

Magpie gave a small bow and switched her speech to a more formal cadence, “The beneficence of your family is well known to mine, though we are isolated in the Pacific. What of those families who are less caring for the unfortunate? Are there any you could warn my friend about?”

The girl began to speak, but she was interrupted by an older boy, almost a man, judging by the generous mustache he displayed.

“Cousins, this conversation is not seemly. While we respect your curiosity,” he said, directing his gaze to Lilijoy, “both our elders and the Academy would prefer such talk to take place elsewhere. Please have a lovely day.”

With that, it seemed the conversation was over, but as Magpie and Lilijoy returned to their seats, a buzz of conversation arose behind them, and the older girl came over to where they sat.

“Pardon my rudeness, but one of our younger cousins was so impolite as to inspect your titles.”

It seemed unlikely that any but the strongest members of the group would be able to bypass her blocks, but Lilijoy couldn’t see any reason to bring that up.

“They are most impressive,” she continued. “Might I be so bold as to ask how you received Nandi’s blessing? He holds a special place in my family’s heart, and we have greeted him with reverence for generations. How is it that an Insider has come to receive such a boon?”

Now Lilijoy was on the spot. She glanced over at Magpie, who had a mischievous grin on her face, and suppressed the urge to elbow her in the ribs.

“I’m sorry, but you’ve drawn the wrong conclusion. I am very ignorant of the Outside, but I am not an Insider, even though I may resemble some of the native races. I grew up very isolated and never knew about the families, or much of anything. Unfortunately, I am not at liberty to tell my story for now.” She shrugged and looked at the older girl carefully. The capillaries in her face dilated slightly, a flush of annoyance perhaps, but her outward expression remained calm and cheerful.

“I see. That is fair enough. Let me give you my contact information, and perhaps in the future, we can talk about what interests both of us. My name, as you will see, is Rana Bhat Hindutva, Ranatri on the Inside. I am very pleased to make your acquaintance, Emily.”

“Please call me Lily. It’s very nice to meet you. This is my roommate, Magpie. I really hope I can tell you my story some day!”

The girl went back to her group, as the message containing her contact arrived in Lilijoy’s system. She turned to Magpie.

“Thanks. I guess.”

She had mixed feelings about what had just happened.

“You guess? That was Rana Bhat! She’s the only child of the second family of the main branch of the Hindutva clan! But I want to hear about your titles. I got Deathless and thought I was pretty hot stuff. How did you manage to get more than one?”

I guess half the Academy is going to know soon enough, Lilijoy thought. “I guess Nandi liked me or something. Then, at the end I rescued a bunch of kids and got Defender of the Young. I also scared the crap out of some goblins. I guess they thought I was some kind of dark spirit or something, so I got Dark Lady of the Thorns.”

“No way! Was Nandi the giant cow-thing? He startled me so badly I ran away from him, and then he laughed and sent me to the Trial.”

The class below had come to an end, and everyone on the stands was filing out. Lilijoy and Magpie joined the throng.

“Have you met our roommates?” Lilijoy thought to ask.

“Nope. I haven’t been back to the room since we went to town. I was headed there when I got the first note from my trainer. What are they like?”

“Well, they’re both Insiders. Skria is some kind of flying-possum type humanoid, and she’s super nice. Jessila is really big and quiet. I’m not sure what her race is exactly, something human-ish, but she calls herself Jessila the Despised like it’s a title or something.”

“I wonder how you get a title like that?”

“You could ask her, but I doubt you’ll get an answer.”

As they walked up the winding path back to the Academy, Lilijoy remembered something. “Hey, I’ve got to get some fish for Mumo from the pond. Want to come?”

“Nah. I’m heading to my first air magic class.”

“You already have a source?”

“Yup. Those special stones of Runk’s that I told you about? Turns out they were sources. They even came with whole package, clade, class and spell. Super rare. So I lucked out. That’s why I’m in advanced Air and Water magic classes.”

“I think Skria is in advanced Air. Maybe you’ll see her there.”

With that, they said goodbye and parted. Lilijoy headed off the switchback through the juniper and came to the rock face over the pond. She was about to take off her tunic and dive in, when she saw Rosemallow sitting on the muddy bank below, lost in meditation. She resisted the urge to cannonball into the water, and instead made her way down and found a slightly dry place not too far from her trainer. She settled down and communed with the reeds and cattails around her.

You guys are the reason this all started, she thought, remembering her fateful decision to harvest the cattails in the gulch by her old home. The cattails were enjoying the gentle breeze and their wet roots. She could feel a sense of expectation all around her as the sky continued to darken with clouds and the humidity rose. Before she could go any deeper, Rosemallow spoke.

“What brings you to the pond, Three Bites?”

“Well, I was getting some fish for Mumo. But I’m really glad to see you, cause I wasn’t sure when we would meet for training.”

Rosemallow sighed. “I’m trying to keep a low profile. Too many former students and other people who want things from me. I think it’s time I took you off the grounds. We’ll meet here tomorrow at dawn. Before then, I want you to run around the Academy grounds until your Flash drains your mana.”

“One of my roommates offered to spar.”

“That’s good too. No Flash and start slow. Your forms are still sloppy, and I don’t want you reinforce bad habits.”

“Yes, Master Rosemallow.” Lilijoy wanted to ask about her title, and all the other things that Magpie had told her, but her trainer seemed to be in a sad mood. The time wasn’t right.

She stood up. “I’m going to get those fish then, if you don’t mind?”

“Sure. That poor creature could use some fresh food, I’m sure.”

“Do you know what happened to him?”

“Of course. I was here when it happened. Ask Anaskafius sometime. He was one of the Professors who bailed him out. Sort of.”

“Okay!”

Between her Flash and her high Animal Charm, getting a couple of nice fat trout was simplicity itself. She didn’t know what would happen if she put them in her inventory, so she carried the dripping bundle all the way around the building and came in through the front. Mumo was sitting at his desk, looking extremely bored. He brightened up when he saw her delivery though.

“What have we here? A student who actually keeps their word?”

“I’m still working on the plant thing,” Lilijoy confessed.

He waved it off. “That’s not going to happen anyway. They already have plants that don’t need light. They’re called mushrooms, and I don’t care to share this space with fungi.”

“There’s one other reason I came by...”

“I suppose you need an appointment with Dean Reunification.”

“That’s it! When can I see her?”

“I’m free this very moment, young lady,” came the Dean’s cool voice from behind her. Lilijoy jumped about a foot, or so it felt. Usually, her heightened senses would have told her someone else was nearby. “Perhaps you can join me on the roof. I find my office terribly stuffy when the air is humid.”

She turned around to see Dean Reunification offering her a paper fan, the kind that folded into a neat stick. She took it, unsure exactly what it meant, and looked up at the Dean’s gray eyes. Close up the woman had a striking appearance. Her face was young, though her pale skin was chapped and weathered, pulled taut by her tight tied auburn hair. White streaks ran from the skin all around her face and into her hair, making her look like she had flown through a flour mill, or perhaps a paint storm.

They left Mumo’s room and walked outside, to the broad slate landing by the front doors.

“Please open the fan and keep a good grip on it. It has a feather-falling enchantment, but I have found it works equally well in reverse,” the Dean said. “I find stairs so tedious.”

As she was talking, Lilijoy felt a warm, forceful breeze beneath her. She hurriedly snapped the fan open, and the breeze carried her off the ground. She and the Dean rose into the air gracefully, and they floated upward into the overcast sky, rising past rows of windows, much to the interest of quite a few bored students. Lilijoy could follow the air currents and their differing temperatures with her heat vision; a warm pillar of rising air held them firmly away from the chilly gusts that circled all around. The town came into view, and then the fields beyond.

After a minute of flight they came over the top of the building, and she saw with delight that the entire roof was a series of gardens, ranging from ordered rows of vegetables to wild groves of trees and brush. Paths in white marble and statuary of the same looped and wove throughout the greenery, and she could see that many beings were sitting in conversation, walking on the paths and tending to one area or another.

“The Academy Gardens,” announced the Dean. “Off limits to students most of the time, other than a few classes. It’s a quiet sanctuary for the faculty that we treasure.”

“It’s beautiful,” said Lilijoy. She felt it was a little selfish on the part of the teachers to keep this to themselves.

“Yes, it is,” the Dean replied. “Of course, for a student with an affinity toward plants such as yourself, we will be sure to arrange a special permission for visits. Professor Anaskafius was most impressed by your work. While we are here, we might even visit Head Treetouched. She has been dormant most of the time for the past years, but I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if we popped by.”

They landed in a small rose garden and the Dean gestured toward a bench. Rain began to fall softly all around them, though none fell on Lilijoy. She could see that they were surrounded by a bubble of pressure that was directing the water to the sides.

“Do you bring all the students up here?”

“Only from time to time, when the situation warrants. You see, Emily, we at the Academy have rather high hopes...” she turned and locked her cool eyes onto Lilijoy’s, “...and expectations for you. You have been noticed. We are approaching a time of change, a climacteric, that will resonate and churn through all of Guardian’s connected realms. I, and some others, believe that your presence here, your very being, is connected to the great cycle. Your connection to the Inside runs deep, your attachment to the Outside is light. You could be a bridge, a transit.” She looked away. “Or you could be nothing more and nothing less than another promising student from the Outside.”

Lilijoy had a lot of questions. “My trainer mentioned the ‘great cycle’ once before, but I don’t know what that is.”

“Nor does anyone, really. There is an ebb and flow to our existence, our relationship with Guardian and our connection to the whole. Every thirty years or so, a great unity occurs. Guardian encompasses us and subsumes us at all times, but at the peak of the cycle we are the closest to unity. For one glorious instant we are no longer subsets, no longer separate. Then we are cast out again, thrown back into our smaller selves. Sometimes we grow from the experience, and sometimes we are consumed utterly. In the aftermath, Guardian’s presence recedes and our separateness is tangible and aching. It is a transcendent and poignant experience.”

“But how could I be connected to that? I feel like I’ve only been awake for a few weeks most of the time, and I don’t know anything about, well, anything.”

“It’s all in the timing, my dear. Your new ability, your connection to Nandi. Even the Garden Archon has intervened on your behalf. It was he who convinced our dear Rosemallow to return to the fold, however reluctantly. While he is the most prone to meddling of all the Archons, it is no trivial occasion when he involves himself. All of these things tell us something, I am sure of it. There are always signs and portents, great heroes and unusual happenings before the climacteric. Perhaps this time your world, the most remote of Guardian’s realms, will partake as well!”

There was a fervor in her voice that made Lilijoy a little uncomfortable. And now the Dean had said something twice which caught her attention.

“Excuse me, Dean Reunification, you’ve said ‘Guardian’s realms’ twice now. As if there were more besides the Inside and the Outside. What do you mean by that?

The Dean looked at her blankly for a moment, still lost in her reverie. Slowly, her face lost its raptured expression.

“What you call the Inside is only an edge, a membrane between your sad cold world of exiles and the radiance of Guardian’s true substance. One of the wisest Outsiders I have had the pleasure of knowing called it an ‘interface’. It is far more than that of course. Like any of the realms, it is a collector and a reflector of experience. It is a selvage, a frontier, a thermocline, both barrier and melting pot, and all the richer for it.”

At some point in the Dean’s discourse, Lilijoy lost any sense of ongoing comprehension. Her system was busy defining new words and concepts for her. A selvage was the border at the edge of fabric where the threads looped back on themselves to create a self-sustaining edge. It was a literal self-edge, and the term provided such a fruitful metaphor for her ongoing musings on the nature of self and identity that she lost all ability to focus on the rest of the Dean’s speech. She was struck by an intense urge to cultivate, to attempt to expand her mind so that she could better hold the slippery concepts. After a few moments of silence, she became aware of the Dean’s expectant gaze and felt the need to say something to show she was not being rudely inattentive.

“So, what do I do?”

The Dean narrowed her eyes. “You study, of course! Be better, Emily. Dig deeper. Avoid distractions. Develop your new ability and don’t get caught up in silly Outside matters. I will give you the same advice I give all my students; pick your area of interest and follow it to the exclusion of all else. The most simple-minded Outsider can go fight trolls in a cave somewhere; what new experience does that offer to Guardian? You must break into areas of thought and apprehension that are beyond the rest of your kind. Your growth will be slower, but so much richer for it.”

She waved a hand dismissively. “Stop with all these common pursuits. Honestly, I don’t know what Rosemallow is thinking. Stealth classes, acrobatics and field medicine of all things. If it were up to me, you would spend all your time here in the Academy garden, developing yourself in meaningful ways.”

“But it’s not up to you, is it?” Lilijoy broke in.

The Dean’s face shifted to sheer outrage, just for a moment, and Lilijoy regretted her hasty words. She plunged ahead, trying to repair the offense. “I mean, I’m sure you’re correct, and know way more about all of these things than I could ever hope to, but I need to follow my trainer’s instructions. And the Archon himself asked her to train me, so I can’t very well stop doing what she asks of me?”

The Dean hmphed. “I understand the temptation of shallow pursuits, girl. I have broken many students from such frivolities. Thankfully, we have some time for you to see reason, and your trainer as well. Now, please follow me. Perhaps seeing the Head of School will help you understand.”

With that, the Dean strode down the white marble path. Lilijoy hurried after her, head down. Inside, she was seething. Who did this woman think she was? Well... she was the Dean of an entire cohort and the greatest air mage at the Academy. Still.

I bet Rosemallow could kick her butt.